How to make a DIY vertical succulent garden out of a picture frame

Lia Blanchard

Contributing Writer

Luna-See / Luna-See

If a simple potted plant can freshen up a room, think what an entire wall of plants can do! Called "green walls" or "living walls," having an entire wall covered in plants has become an eco-friendly architectural and decorating trend. Whether in a home or a corporate setting, green walls make a big impression.

What's more, green walls are healthy! Living Walls and Vertical Gardens claims that a green wall can improve air quality and reduce noise levels as well as heating and air-conditioning expenses. And of course, they're aesthetically pleasing -- who wouldn't love to be visually surrounded by peaceful greenery?

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DIY blogger Luna-See made a scaled-down version of a green wall; she calls it "Living Art." It's an appropriate name for her creation: with a vintage frame and a palette of more than 50 succulent clippings in a variety of shapes, textures and colors, the effect is stunning.

To create your own living art, first secure the chicken wire into place, then use the 2-by-2-inch wood to build a raised frame in the back to create depth for the soil. Line with moss, fill with soil, secure with plywood. Flip it over, plant your cuttings through the chicken wire, then sit back and watch your masterpiece grow!

Going vertical has the additional advantage of being a convenient space-saver: imagine an herb garden growing right on your dining room wall, a living wreath that you can decorate throughout the seasons, or a simple tropical touch with no palm tree required!

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Living walls are not without their challenges, of course. Luna-See discovered, upon completion of her project, that it was simply too heavy to mount, so it lives by leaning against a wall. Adequate sunlight and proper watering is always a consideration, but with a little forethought -- or perhaps the purchase of a kit, which solves many of these problems for you -- it isn't difficult to bring this beautiful environmental "art" into your home.